Engine power mechanism



J. R. ETTEH. ENGINE POWER VlECf'IANlSIYl. APPLICATION FILED Auc.21. 1920.

,404,017, Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETS`SHEET I.

J. R. ETTER. ENGINE POWER MECHANISM. APPucATIoN man Auml. 1920.

1,404,017', PatentedV Jan. 17, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ATTORNEY.

Unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE. y

JACOB R. nmrnn, or onAvronDsvILL-E, INDIANA.

ENGINE rownn Msciraivi'sivi.

T 0 ZZ 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, dac-on Frinu, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Crawtordsville,in the county ot Montgomery and State et indiana.y have invented a new and useful iingine Power Mechanism; oiC which the Yfollowing is ay specification, reierencc being had to the accompanying drawings7 and to the letters and iigures ot reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to mechanism which is Vdesigned te be connected with a ieciprocatory engine. whether ot the steam Yor the' explosion engine type, for transmitting the mot-ion developed by the engine. the invention having reference more particularly to mechanism whereby greater power may be obtained from the engine than commonly troni an engine without increasing the dimensions ot the engine cylinder or cylinders and the general structure oi the engine,

iin object ot the invention is to provide newer mechanisin et such construction as to be adaptable either to newengines or to engines already in use and whereby increased power may be transmitted over and above that usuallv transmitted .by the engine.

:inother Aobject to provide reciprocatory engines with improved power mechanism ot siiiinle construction wliichshall not be costly to produce and install, and Ywhich will be durable and economical in use.

iilitii the aliove-mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionr consists in power mechanism which is adapted to be a-constituent ot' a reciprocatory engine er one having a reciprocatory power element, whether origvin inally built in with the engine structure or subsequently mounted in connection with the engine structure g' and, the invention consists also further in the novel parts or features, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the appended claims. i

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation et a single cylinder steam-engine provided with the power mechanism and built in permanentiy with the engine structure, features or' theengine not necessargv to an understanding of the invention being omitted, and the balance-wheel on the crank shaft of the'engine being Yfragmentary; Fig 2 is a tcp plan o'l Fig. 1, the bal- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 21, 1920 Serial No. 405,168.

ance-wheel being broken away; F ig.'3 is alfrag'mentary side elevation showing features on the opposite side to that seen in Fig; 1; Fig. e is an end view 'ot an-engine crosshead provided with parts of the invention; Fig. 5 is a tragmentary longitudinal central section of the engine; Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the engine; Fig. 7 is aside elevation o't one of the larger types of steam-'engines illustrating the manner of applying the power mechanism thereto after the engine is set tor use, features otthe engine not necessary to an understanding of the invention being omitted; Fig. 8 is a top plan ot F ig. 7; Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing features on an enlarged scale whereby motion from an oscillatory wheel is imparted to 4 a rotary shaft; Fi 10 is a fragmentary sectional detail of a modified form of apparati-is whereby motion trom an oscillatory wheel is given to a rotary sha-it; and, Fig. 11 is a side elevation of an engine of the wellknown explosion type and the power mechanism applied thereto.

Similar refer-en ce characters in the various figures o't` tliedrawings indicate corresponding -or like elements or features of construe-4 tion herein referred to in detail.`

The steam-engine with which the power mechanism may be constructed so as to be completed in a tactory and conveniently shipped asa unit7 comprises a suitable base .1-v

on which isa trame or bed 2, which may be variously constructed, and which supports a power cylinder I3 with which a valve chest i is connected, crosshead guides 5 and 6 suitably vsupported by the frame, and a, piston 7 the cylinder having a piston rod 8 which is secured to a crosshead 9 movably supported by the guides7 the crosshead being "provided with a wrist pin 10. The admission of steam to tlie cylinder is controlled by means ot .a valve stem 11 connected with a valve (not shown) in the valve chest el, as `will be understood. rhe engine frame or bed supports pillow blocks 12 and 13 in which two' sections le and 15 et a crank shaft are respectivehY mounted, the sections being provided with crank disks 1G and l? respective y to which a crank pin 18 is connected. a connecting rod or pitinan 19 being connected with the crank pin and also with the wrist pin 10. In seine cases the crank disks may be suiiiciently large and heavy to constitute ily-wheels. Onesection of the crank shaft has an eccentric thereon provided with an eccentric strap 2l to which a rod 22 is secured which is connected with the valve stem 11. Asthus constructed there is a limitation to the power that may be generated with a,

' 25 at aV` suitable distance below the'crank shaft of the engine. A grooved power wheel 26'is mounted to rotate on the shaft 25 and preferably a similar wheel 27 is likewise mounted on the shaft, two power wheels being preferable, and they are of suitable di'- Vameter so that theuppermost portion of the periphery shall be approximately as high or slightly Yhigher than the vcrosshead of .the engine. Cables 28 and 29 are secured to the power wheels and extend from the'uppermost portions thereof, one of thev cables being connected to an arm 3.() and the other cable to an arm 3l with which the crosshead is provided, said arms being rigid on the crosshead, and one of the arms enables the crosshead to directly pull the cable 28 and unwindv it from the power wheel 26 whereby to rotate the wheel in one direction. Y A suitable bracket 32 is fixed on the engine frame and has a stub shaft 33 on which a pulley 34 is mounted, and the cable 29 'extends from the power wheel 27 over the pulley 34 and back to the arm 3l to which the cable is secured, so that when the crosshead is moving away from the cylinder the cable 29vis unwound from the wheel 27 to cause'rotation of the wheel in one direction; For the purposeof rotating the power wheels in the .reverse direction and winding theY cables thereon, the power wheelsare provided with pulleys 35 and 36 fixed thereto respectively and on which cables 37V and 38 are respec- Y tively wrapped and secured thereto, suitable springs 39 and 40 being connected -with the cables 37 and 38 respectively and suitably anchored to the engine frame whereby to l retract the power wheels.'

Suitable -ratchet clutches are provided whereby the power wheels oscillating or turning in one direction shallv rotate the power shaft 25 in the same direction intermittently, and permit the power wheels to turn backward orY in a reverse direction on the power shaft, and preferably the hubs of the pulleys 35 and'36areprovidedr Ywith ratchet-toothed clutch members 4l.ai1d 42 1 respectively thatV are fixed to thel pulleys,

ratchet-toothed clutch sleeves 43 and 44 are sliding-ly arranged on'the shaft 25 and yieldingly held to the clutch members by means of springs `45and 46 arranged on theshaft between the clutch sleeves and the pillow blocks 24 and 23 respectively, each clutch sleeve being enabled to turn the shaft? by ysleeves shall be forced out of engagement withthe teeth on'ptheY clutch memberswhen the power wheelsV are turned backwards.

Y Thepower shaft 25 has a suitable wheel or pulley 48 secured thereto whereby to transmitthe developed power'a'nd motion; and

preferably the power shaft is providedwith a ffy-wheel 49 to cause continuousrotation of the shaft when'desired. In some casesit may be desirable to provide the crankshaft y of .the engine withfa vfly-wheel 50, which being a well-known element isincompletely shown in the drawings. Y

The engine illustrated in Figs. 7V and 8 `may have a brick foundation 51 supporting an engine bed or .frame 52 which supports the cylinder 3 and other elements as above described', and the bed has a pillow block 53 thereon which supports Va crank shaft `54 which may besupported'by another pillow block-(not shown), the crank shafthaving a crank disk thereonY provided with a crank pin 56 t'o'which apitman 57 is con-Y nectedV which is connected Valso with the wrist pin of thev crosshead 9, the crosshead being provided with' the lateral* arms 30 and 3l as above described. The crank shaft has an eccentric 58 thereon provided with an eccentric strap 59 to which an eccentric rod 60 is connected, which is connected with the valve stem 1l for controlling the steam-valve of the engine. The crank shaft 54 preferably. has a fly-wheel 61 secured thereto. A pair of pillow blocks 62 and 63 are suitably sup'ported'beyond thel foundation of the en- `gine, or on aneXtendedfoundation-as may be desired and a power Vshaft 64 is rotatably supported thereon,being on a level'considerably lower than that of the crank shaft 54.V VTwo power wheels 65and 66 are rotatably mounted onthe powershaft `and have cables 67 and 68 connected to the periphery thereof respectively,one cable leading directly to wheels havel pulleysl 69 andf70 fixed thereon lrespectively and to which cables 7l and 72 are respectively connected,fthe cables being connected with retracting springs 7 3 Yand' 7 4 respectivelynthat are Vsuitably anchored, for retracting the powerrwheels. The pulleys 69and 70 are provided with ratchet-toothed clutchV members 75 and 76 respectively that are adapted to engage'ratchet-toothed clutch sleeves 77 and 78 respectively that aresplined on the shaft 64 and yieldingly forced tothe 'ion lio

clutch members by means of'a spring 79 y arranged on theshaft between* the clutchV sleeves. .The power shaft has a fiy-wheel 8O secured thereto and is provided also with a wheel or pulley 81 for transmitting' motion power from the power shaft.

In Fig. llt-so much of an internal combustion engine is shown as will be sufficient to an understanding of the application'of the power mechanism thereto, the engine comprising a'bed or frame 82 supporting an explosion cylinder 83 anda crankshaft 84 provided with a crank 85 withwhich a connecting rod 86 is connected to be actuated ina well-known manner by the engine piston, the crank shaft having a ily-wheel 87 thereon. Pillow blocks 88 are suitably supported and supporta power shaft 89 on which a. power wheel 90 is rotatably mounted, the power Ashaft being considerably lower than the'c'rank shaft, so that a large power wheel is permissible. A suitable belt 91 is secured tofthe power'wheel and extendspartially about the periphery thereof and thence to and over a pulley 92 suitably supported'on the engine frame, and thence to aV lug 93fixed on the connecting rod 86 adjacent to the crank 85,. The power wheel `90 is provided with, a pawl 94 which operates in connection with a ratchet wheel 95 suitably secured to the power shaft 89 to enablevthe power wheel moving in one direction to intermittentlyrotate the shaft,

and permit the'power wheel to turn in the reverse direction on the shaft. One side of the powerwheel has a hublike extension 96 on which a spring 97.is wrapped and secured .at one end, the opposite end of the spring being. suitably' anchored to the ground or to'a convenient anchorage, the' spring being designedtoretract lor turn back the powerwheel, being a modification of the retracting'springs above described. Thepower shaft 89 has al wheel or pulley 98 secured thereto for transmitting power from the shaft, and theshaft is provided also with a ily-wheel 99.

It is to be understood that the structures illustrated and described are to broadly disclose the principle, function, and mode of operation of the invention rather than arbitrary structures which may be variously modified as may be desired.

In practical use, in the operation of a steam-engine, as the crosshead moves toward the power cylinder the cable 28 is drawn from the uppermost portion of the power wheel 26 which affords great leverage to turn the power shaft 25, the retracting spring 40 at the same time causing the power wheel 2T and the cable 29 to be moved backward. As the crosshead moves away from the cylinder the cable 29 is pulled around the pulley 34 and unwrapped from the power cylinder 27, resulting in the power shaft being forcibly turned while the retracting spring 89 reverses the motion of the power wheel 2G and wraps the cable 28 thereon, resulting in the oscillation of the power wheels intermittently turning the power shaft, the rotary motion of which may be continued by stored energy in the flywheel 49. During the operation the crank shaft is not depended on for transmitting motion but performs its usual other functions. The results above described follow the operation of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.

vIn the operation of explosion engines each outward stroke of the connecting rod 86 causes the band or strap 91 to be drawn about the pulley 92 and off from the periphery of the power wheel 90 which transmits rotary motion to the power shaft 89, the inward or opposite stroke of the connecting rod permitting the retracting spring 97 to reverse the motion of the power wheel and to wrap the band 91 thereon. The actuating motions being rapid, it follows that the balance-wheel 99must turn rapidly and store energy to continue rotation of the power shaft during reverse movement of the power wheel. n

Having thus described the what is claimed as new isl l. Engine power mechanism having a invention,

crank shaft and a power shaft and also a reciprocatory power-driven element, the crank shaft being operatively connected with the reciprocatory element and provided with a lfly-wheel, means connecting the power shaft with the reciprocatory element to intermittentlyrotate the shaft, and a fly-wheel secured to the power shaft.

2. Engine power mechanism having a controlling shaft and a. power shaft and also a power-driven reciprocatory element having a lateral-lug arm thereon, the eX- tent of movement of the reciprocatory element being controlled by the controlling shaft, a large power wheel on the power shaft 'to intermittently rotate the shaft, and a cable connected with the lug arm of the reciprocatory element and the periphery of the power wheel.

3. Engine power mechanism including a reciprocatory power-driven element, a rotary power shaft, a power wheel rotatable on the power shaft and provided with means to clutch it to the shaft for forward motion, a cable on the periphery of the power wheel connected with the reciprocatory element to intermittently rotate the wheel, a rotary shaft operatively connected with the reciprocatory element and provided with a flywheel, and means to reversely rotate the power wheel.

4. Engine power mechanism including a power cylinder, a crank shaft, a reciprocatory element having connection with the crank shaft and co-related to the cylinder to be actuated by force in the cylinder, a rotary power shaft, a power wheel rotatable n the power shaft, means connecting the periphery of the power wheel with the re-i ciprocatory elementto enable the reciprocatory element to rotate the power wheel in one direction, co-operating means enabling' the power wheel when rotated to rotate lthe power shaft, and means to rotate the power wheel on the shaft iny the opposite direction. A 5. Engine power mechanism including a lcrank shaftpand a power shaft and also'L a reciprocatory powerdriven element, the ,power shaft having ai device thereon to transmit power from the shaft, the crank shaft being operatively connected with the -reciprocatory element, a power,l wheel rota-4 table on the power shaft and provided with means 'to clutch it to the shaft, a cable connected with the reciprocatory element and the periphery of the power wheel to rotate the wheel intermittently in one direction,

and means to rotate the power .wheel intermittently in the reverse direction. l

G. Engine power mechanism including a reciprocatory power-driven element, two power wheels to alternately rotate the power shaft, a supported pulley, a cable connected with the reciprocatory element and eXtendc ing'directly to and connected with the periphery of one of the power wheels, a cable connected with the reciprocatory element andzextending aboutvthe pulleyV and'to the periphery ofthe remainingone of the power wheels and Vconnected thereto, and means controlled by the crankshaft to control the extent of movements of the reciprocatory element. V

recipro'catory power-driven'element, a crank 'shaft having connection ywith the recipro- `movements` thereof, a rotary power shaft provided with a clutch Adevice and also a crank shaft and a power shaft and also a Y Y i. cured tothe powershaft.V 7. rEngine power mechanism including ay catory ,elementYAY to limitV the extent of theY 'device to transmit motion from lthe shaft,-

a power wheel rotative on the powershaft and provided with a clutchv member cooperating withv the clutch device -to intermittently rotate the shaft, a cablecconnectedY actuatedl inv and extending from the cylinder,aicrosshead securedftothe piston rod and provided withr'two lateral arms, a pul Y ley supported in Yjg'iroximity cylinder, aciank shaft rotatably supported, a pitmancoiiiiected with theccrosshead and the crankv shaft, a fly-wheel connectedwith the crank shaft, a rotatably-supported power shaft, two power wheels rotatable `on the power shaft andprovided each with a clutch device, ltwo clutch elements on the 'power shaft to be engaged by the clutch devices to rotate the shaft forwardly, a Cablecom nected to and extending from the periphery of one of the power wheels Vdirectlyvto one of the armsof the crosshead and connected thereto, a cable connected toand extending from the-,other of the two power wheels and about the pulley and back. to and cone nectedwith the remaining one of the arms to g the power Y ofthe crossliead,rthe cables, rotating the wheels alternately, two anchored springs having connection with the power Vwheels to reversely rotaterthe wheels,

respectively wheel seand a fly-wheel and also a drive VIn testimony whereof, I affix my vsigna-V ture in presence of two witnesses'.

lvitnessesz., A RoBERT'l/V. MARTIN,

O. P. EviiizsoN.

JACOB ii.. ETTER. i c 

